PROJECT SUMMARY This application requests funds to continue the highly successful Cancer Biology T32 training program at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The current application will present a new vision for this training program, in which the innovative technologies developed and used at Stanford will become a cornerstone of the cancer research program, in a proposal entitled “Leveraging innovative technologies in basic and clinical cancer research”. The goal of this training program is to provide the very best training for its predoctoral trainees so that they become successful and independent leaders in the field of cancer research. The program accomplishes this goal by providing each trainee with a broad and comprehensive curriculum, a vast array of educational resources such as seminars, lectures, conferences and workshops specifically geared toward the biology of cancer, a faculty comprising 49 exceptional preceptors with extensive experience in cancer research mentoring, and an unparalleled research environment. The success of the training program is demonstrated by its track record of attracting outstanding and talented predoctoral candidates to Stanford University and placing graduates of the program in high-profile competitive cancer research positions in academia, industry, and medicine. During the next 5-year period, there will be a number of new initiatives. The program will focus on leveraging a variety of cutting-edge technologies pioneered by T32 faculty at Stanford to better understand cancer development and to help develop improved cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. The strong technology emphasis of the program is a key strength that will promote a truly multidisciplinary approach to cancer research, enabling collaborations between individuals in diverse fields such as systems biology, functional genomics, epigenetics, immuno-oncology, and cancer stem cell biology. In addition, the research conducted by T32 preceptors has a significant clinical focus, with the goal of ultimately improving cancer care. Our curriculum, which we have designed to provide trainees with a solid core of cancer biology coursework while allowing flexibility in electives to match individual needs in areas of specialization (e.g., computational biology), will now also include technology-oriented coursework. We have also introduced a clinical course to expose students to the translational side of cancer biology as well as “T32 chats” to teach students about translational cancer biology and pitfalls associated with various technologies. We are taking various measures to increase diversity in the program, such as through the Social Justice Working Group. We are promoting career development by providing leadership opportunities for students, access to teaching opportunities, and career workshops with alumni to give exposure to different potential career options. To ensure optimal mentors, we will also have a new rigorous selection process for T32 ...